for those who adore music

Coasts Release Sophomore Album “This Life, Vol. 1”

On August 18, my favorite band, Coasts, released their sophomore album titled This Life, Vol. 1. I never expected a second album this soon, as their self-titled debut was just released in January 2016. But hey, I’m not complaining.

The Bristol boys really outdid themselves with this album. It still has the “Coasts vibe” I’ve come to love, but shows a certain maturity that separates it from their debut. They kick it off with two lighthearted tracks, “Take Me Back Home” and “Heart Starts Beating,” both of which are absolute bangers live. “Come On Over” is the perfect pop ballad to listen to on a summer’s night, but it isn’t until after this track that we hit some real emotional depth. “Let Me Love You” is by far Coasts’ most powerful track. It delves deep into the world of mental health, shedding light on a subject others often deem too dark to write about. It never fails to make me emotional. Coasts keep it slow with “Paradise,” featuring floaty background vocals that I absolutely adore.

“Make It Out Alive” kicks off the second half of the album, and I for one cannot wait to see the energy of this track live. The driving rock of the chorus backed by Chris Caines’ epic dance moves will be a sight to behold. “Chase The Night” is yet another moving track, featuring dark imagery that evokes strong emotions. Coasts give us one more lighthearted track, “White Noise,” which gets stuck in my head entirely too often. The chorus is too catchy not to love. They finish the album with two deeper tracks, but they have completely different moods. “Tomorrow” gives a message of hope, the promise that tomorrow will be better. “Born To Die” is a heartbreaker complete with a gospel choir. I dare you not to tear up during this track. It ends the album on a solemn note, something I found to be a bit of a shock. Not a bad shock, but a shock nonetheless.

This album shows so much growth for Coasts. They dive deeper with their emotions, not just on the ballads, but also on the upbeat tracks. Not only did they step up their lyrical game, they upped their musical game as well. I can easily see these tracks moving a crowd to tears or making them jump for joy. And I’m not the only one who took note of this: the album charted at #17 in the UK, their highest ranking yet.